Last Three Games of the Season Will Be Crucial for the Louisville Cardinals

By Taylor Sturm

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Louisville Cardinals have fought all season to try and win the Big East. With some of the most talented Guards in the country in Peyton Siva and Russ Smith, Louisville’s offense is one of the most potent and NCAA tournament-ready. In addition to only losing five games all season, the Cardinals have not lost a game by double-digits.

Louisville is good. More than good, in fact – Louisville is great.

Rick Pitino’s squad has been NCAA tournament-bound since its fifth game of the season, a destruction of the Missouri Tigers. The Tigers are looking at a third or fourth seed in the NCAA tournament after a few disappointing Big East losses.

The Cardinals have a chance to improve their tournament seeding with the last three games of their season. Louisville takes on Cincinnati, No. 25 Notre Dame, and No. 8 Syracuse. These games are must-wins for the Cardinals – not because losses could knock them out of the NCAA, but because it’s very rare that a three or four seed makes it to the Final Four due to the increasing talent level in college basketball. These three teams are all tournament-bound, and wins over these teams have the potential to get the Cardinals in prime position for a run deep into the tournament in March.

Louisville has what it takes to win the NCAA tournament, but a high seed could lead to those chances diminishing severely. The last stretch of the season is crucial to the Cardinals tournament potential.